


To the Dark Side

by tommygirl



Category: Charmed
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-04-05
Updated: 2011-04-05
Packaged: 2017-10-17 15:33:18
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,884
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/178330
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tommygirl/pseuds/tommygirl
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Set in a future where Wyatt turns evil, Chris watches as it happens.</p>
            </blockquote>





	To the Dark Side

_"Lately I've been becoming aware  
Of your dark side  
The private demons hiding there  
In your dark side  
Your mood swings and you rush to turn them loose  
But you hurt yourself more than anyone else  
With your dark side..."_ \- Dark Side by Al Stewart

**

Chris made his way down the stairs of the manor toward the kitchen. He heard his grandfather and Wyatt arguing and couldn’t help but roll his eyes. It was all the two did anymore and it was times like this he most missed his mother. She would’ve known how to handle Wyatt. She would’ve squelched the weird behaviour he had taken to exhibiting out of him before it got out of control.

Chris was beginning to think that point had long since passed.

“Listen gramps, you’re ordinary. I can’t expect you to understand my powers.”

Again Chris rolled his eyes as he strolled into the kitchen. He mentally counted to five, awaiting the precise moment he would be pulled into their fight. It happened like clockwork – one of them trying to get Chris on his side. Chris picked up an apple from the fruit basket and almost smiled when Wyatt pointed at him and said, “Chris, explain to your favorite relative that we’re magical beings that require more freedom than the normal teenager.”

“You’re seventeen years old, Wyatt,” his grandfather stated.

“Nearly eighteen,” Wyatt countered.

“You’re still not allowed to be out gallivanting all night.”

“Who’s going to stop me, old man?”

Chris stepped between his grandfather and brother. He pushed on Wyatt’s chest to move him back and said, “Enough, Wy. He’s only trying to look out for you.”

“I’m not the one who needs watching. I can take care of myself.”

Victor shook his head and said, “What would your mother say if she saw you behaving like this, Wyatt?”

“My mother is dead because she didn’t understand how things worked.”

Chris sighed and said, “Could you leave mom out of this?”

“How about I just leave?” Wyatt replied. He ignored Victor shouting to him and orbed out of the manor.

Chris looked at his grandfather and shrugged. He never knew what to say. What was there to say anyway? Wyatt was slipping away from both of them. He disappeared for long hours, barely talked to them outside of giving orders, and hung around with unsavory types.

“Have you talked to your father about this?”

Chris frowned at his grandfather and replied, “You know how dad feels about his special son.”

“Chris, this is not—“

“He says it’s normal teenage rebellion and there’s nothing to worry about.”

“You’re a teenager and you don’t give me these problems.”

Chris smiled and said, “Well, what can I say? I’m special, grandpa.”

“Not too special that you can afford to miss school,” Victor replied. He patted Chris’ arm and said, “So eat some breakfast and get going before you’re late.”

**

Chris stared up at the sky above him from his place beneath the tree before allowing his eyes to roam over various groups of his classmates scattered across the quad. Lunchtime was one of those rare times where he didn’t miss the magic school so much. He still hated the reasons it had been closed – his aunts and mother’s deaths – but he felt less like a freak when he sat and ate his lunch then he did in classes like gym or woodshop.

“Didn’t I tell you to get out of my way?”

Chris heard the voice and jumped up from his spot. His brother was shouting at someone in that tone that made Chris’ skin crawl. Sure enough, in the distance, he saw Wyatt and a few of his “friends” cornering a young man. Chris enclosed the space between them as fast as he could, but he was still too late as Wyatt flicked his wrist and sent the boy flying into the middle of the street. Wyatt didn’t move from where he was standing, but Chris recognized the look on his face – his brother was conjuring something.

A car with no driver appeared at the end of the street, revving its engine, and Wyatt replied, “One of these days your kind will realize who’s in charge, who has the power.”

“Wyatt no!” Chris shouted.

Wyatt glanced at Chris before releasing his hold on the car to send it barreling toward the boy, who wasn’t moving for some reason. Chris did the only thing he could do. He orbed to the boy, grabbed him, and orbed them both to safety far away from school. He wasn’t even sure where he had taken them to, the only clear thought in his head at the time being to get away.

Chris glanced at the young man beside him and asked, “Are you okay?”

“He’s going to kill me.”

“He was just trying to scare you,” Chris replied. He wasn’t sure who he was trying to kid anymore. He had seen the look in his brother’s eyes when he had released his control on the car...Wyatt had wanted to hurt him.

The young man shook his head and said, “No, he’s angry with me and thinks I need to be punished.”

“I won’t let him. I promise.”

“Little brother, that was brave, I’ll give you that. But it was stupid too,” Wyatt said. Chris turned around and his brother was standing there with a smirk plastered on his face. He said, “You could’ve gotten hurt, Chris, and that wasn’t my intention.”

Chris moved toward him and said, “What the hell is wrong with you? You could’ve killed him.”

“I _would’ve_ killed him if you hadn’t interfered.”

Chris stumbled back against his brother’s words. The nonchalant way he said it made Chris realize that this wasn’t a bad dream or a practical joke gone awry like he had secretly hoped. His brother was going to kill someone. It was impossible to wrap his mind around it. Wyatt had been changing recently, becoming someone that Chris barely knew anymore or wanted to know for that matter, but Chris figured it was Wyatt dealing with the loss of their mother. God knew that Chris was still having trouble coping with it. But to kill an innocent? On purpose? It went against everything he and Wyatt were raised to believe.

“You’re not serious,” Chris forced out.

Wyatt laughed mirthlessly and replied, “Chris, you’re just too...you’re like them and it’s going to end badly for you.”

“By _them_ do you mean our mother and aunts? The people who taught us right from wrong?”

“It must be so easy for you with your little rules that they’ve brainwashed you into accepting as truth. Don’t you see that we’re too powerful to be ruled?" Wyatt stopped and spun around, opening his arms as though they could engulf the entire world. He motioned to Chris and said, " _We_ should be ruling _them_.”

“What has happened to you, Wy?”

Wyatt slapped his brother’s back and said, “You need to get back to school and leave me to handle this situation.”

“No way.”

Wyatt narrowed his eyes on Chris and said, “You’re my family, Chris, but that will only protect you for so long.”

Chris’ eyes widened and he said, “Now you’re threatening me? Do you even hear yourself, Wyatt?” Chris moved closer to his brother and pleaded, “Whatever happened with this kid, just let it go. Let’s go home and I’ll have dad come—“

“Dad? You’ve never had any time for that man and neither do I.”

“Wyatt, he loves you and—“

Wyatt glanced from Chris to the young man. He shook his head and said, “If I let him go, people will think I’m weak. I can’t allow that to happen.”

“Wyatt, he’s an innocent.”

Wyatt shrugged. “He’s in my way.”

Chris moved back over to the boy and stood in front of him. He said, “I can’t let you do this, Wyatt. It’s not what we do.”

Wyatt rolled his eyes and with the flick of the wrist, Chris felt himself orbbing away. He tried to stop it, but before he knew what was happening, he was sitting at home on the sofa.

“Dammit!” Chris shouted, blowing up one of the crystal vases aligning the bookshelves. He groaned, remembering the several conversations he had endured with his mother about keeping his emotions in check because of his powers, and mumbled, “I can’t do this alone. I’m not strong enough.”

“Chris? What are you doing here? First Wyatt stays out all night and now you’re blowing off school?”

“Grandpa, it’s not what it looks like.”

Victor noticed the broken vase and asked, “Are you okay, son?”

“No, I’m not.”

“What’s wrong?”

Chris met his grandfather’s worried gaze and replied, “I think we’ve lost him, grandpa, and I didn’t...I should’ve seen it coming. I should’ve saved him.”

“Chris, what are you talking about?”

“Wyatt…”

“Is this about this morning?” Victor questioned. When Chris didn’t respond, Victor placed his hand on Chris’ shoulder comfortingly and replied, “Because he and I are too much alike sometimes, but that doesn’t mean—“

“I think he killed an innocent today.”

“What?”

Chris fell back on the sofa and said, “I tried to stop him, to reason with him, but it was like talking to air. He told me that he couldn’t appear weak and that it had to be done.”

“Chris, that can’t be right.”

Chris felt a sob forming in his gut and all he wanted to do was let it out and cry, but he couldn’t. It wouldn’t accomplish anything. It wouldn’t bring the old version of his brother back, the one who always protected him and innocents from danger. Now it appeared that Wyatt was the danger.

“I saw him, grandpa. I wouldn’t have believed he was capable of it, but I saw how he was behaving with my own two eyes. He flat out told me that had I not orbed the guy out of the way when I did, he would’ve let a car run an innocent over. I tried to stop him, to save the guy, but Wyatt's stronger than I am. He orbed me out before I could stop him. He’s probably killed the innocent by now.”

Victor shut his eyes against Chris’ words and whispered, “You need to call for your father.”

“What? No.”

“Chris, he’s the only one who might be able to save your brother before it’s too late.”

“Leo is too busy.”

“Chris, I would do it myself, but he won’t hear me.”

“Grandpa…”

“Chris, I know you, son. If there was a chance that we could’ve saved your brother and you didn’t take it because of your issues with your dad...you’ll hate yourself forever and I won’t allow that.”

Chris nodded and called out, “Dad? Leo?”

A few seconds later, Leo appeared. He smiled at his son and Victor before his eyes settled on the mess. He asked, “Everything okay here?”

“No, Leo, I’m afraid not. We’ve got a problem,” Victor responded.

Leo nodded and moved over next to Chris. He placed his hands on his son’s shoulders and said, “Chris, we’ve been through this, pal. Your powers are directly linked to your emotions and your powers are only going to continue to get stronger. You need to get things under control.”

“You think I called you here for me?” Chris scoffed. He broke free of his father’s grasp and said, “That’s almost laughable.”

“Chris, if there isn’t—“

“Wyatt’s in trouble, dad.”

“What? What’s wrong?”

“He—“

“I got in a fight with grandpa this morning after staying out all night,” Wyatt replied, walking in from the hallway. Chris glared at him as Wyatt went on, “And you know Chris, always the peacemaker.”

Leo smiled at both his sons and said, “Wyatt, you need to listen to your grandfather. He’s been helping us out since your—“ Leo paused and said, “I need both of you to watch out for each other and take care of things.”

Wyatt moved over next to Chris and wrapped his arm around Chris’ shoulder. Chris couldn’t help but notice the hard squeeze and Wyatt responded, “You’re right and I’m sorry, dad. It won’t happen again.”

“Liar,” Chris whispered.

Leo’s expression contorted with shock and he said, “What was that, Chris?”

“He’s a liar.”

“Chris...” Wyatt warned.

Chris shook his head and pried free of his brother’s grasp. He pointed at Wyatt and said, “I love you, Wyatt. You’ve always been there for me, but lately, you’re...different. And today...today...what you did—“

“What did he do, Chris?” Leo replied. His eyes filled with worry and he said, “What has you so worked up?”

“I think he killed an innocent today.”

“What? Chris, that’s not funny.”

“Dad, I can explain this,” Wyatt replied. His eyes narrowed on his brother and he sighed, “I can see how Chris might’ve misunderstood the situation, but that's what it was. A misunderstanding. My friend and I were horsing around. That’s all.”

“That’s not—“

“And maybe we took it a bit too far with my conjured game of chicken—“

Leo frowned and replied, “Wyatt, you know that you’re not supposed to use your powers for personal gain. And what if someone had seen you? You could put the whole magical community at risk with such carelessness.”

Wyatt nodded and replied, “I know and I’m sorry, but that’s all it was, dad. No one was killed.”

Leo studied both his sons, but was interrupted by the Elders calling to him. He sighed, “Victor, do you think you can handle this from here? The Elders need me.”

“Dad, you can’t let him get away with this.”

“Chris, your brother explained this to you. I know you love him, but stop worrying, okay? And I’ll talk to both of you later.”

Chris watched his father orb away and noticed the confused look on his grandfather’s face. Victor looked so worn out that Chris couldn’t allow him to worry about this too. Wyatt was beyond Victor’s control anyway. Chris forced a neutral gaze and said, “Grandpa, it was just a misunderstanding, I guess. I’m sorry for worrying you.”

“You’re sure, Chris? You don’t usually—“

Chris looked at his brother out of the corner of his eye before smiling and saying, “Of course. I mean, why would Wyatt hurt an innocent when his own mother died protecting them?”

“Okay then boys. We’ll talk about both of you ditching the remainder of the school day over dinner, but right now I have to get to the doctor’s office for my check-up.”

“Need a ride, grandpa?” Chris offered.

“No, I’ll be fine.”

Once Victor left, Wyatt turned to face his brother, his expression contorting from normal to one of disgust. He replied, “That was really stupid, Chris.”

“You did kill him, didn’t you?”

“It’s best you don’t know.”

“Wyatt, what is wrong with you? Did a demon attack you or something? This isn’t you.”

“Did you ever think that other goodie-twoshoes version was the impostor?”

“You can’t do this. You can’t just kill people.”

“I can and I will if it’s necessary. I have plans, Chris. Dad is always so hung up on us hiding our powers, living in fear of magic being outted, but it’s them who should be afraid.”

“Do you even hear yourself? You sound crazy!”

“I’m perfectly sane, I assure you,” Wyatt replied. His expression once again returned to normal, but it didn’t ease Chris’ worries any. Wyatt stepped toward Chris and said, “You’ve got nothing to worry about, Chris. Remember after mom died? What did I tell you?”

“You said that you’d always take care of me.”

“And I will. You will always be under my protection.”

“It’s everyone else that has to worry.”

Chris didn't like the smile that formed on his brother's face and Wyatt's words only deepened his fears. “Only if they fight the inevitable.”

Chris shook his head and said, “Wyatt, please stop this. Please. This isn’t you. This can’t be you. You’re supposed to be good and strong. Mom counted on us, _on you_ , and—“

“I’m the most powerful being there is and I plan to be revered for it,” Wyatt replied. He started to walk away, but stopped and glanced back at Chris with an empty look. He said, “You’re my brother, Chris, and I will keep my word, but I won’t let you try to stop things. It’s best to join me now, little brother.”

Wyatt hurried up the stairs and Chris heard him slam the door to his bedroom shut. Chris winced against the sound and ran his hand over his face. What the hell was he supposed to do? His grandfather was getting too old to deal with these sorts of things, his father was completely blind to the truth, and that left him. He was sixteen years old and not nearly as powerful as Wyatt was.

But he had to do something because things were only going to spiral further out of control if he didn’t. He could feel it in his bones – his brother was in trouble. His brother was changing, getting lost in the darkness that power seemed to create, and Chris wasn’t about to lose anyone else.

He would find a way to fix things if it killed him.

 _{Fin}_

**Author's Note:**

> Written for latest round of charmedflashfic. Much love to supernaturalhel for the beta and approval before posting.


End file.
